A Slayer's Fate (sequel to Choices)
by Raven's Bard
Summary: Faith is prophesized to die. Can Xander stop it? Placed in the New Start Universe.
1. Part 1

Title: A Slayer's Fate (1/5)   
Third in the series. 

Author: Raven's Bard 

E-mail: ravensbard78@yahoo.com 

Disclaimer: Nothing in the Buffyverse belongs to me. Joss owns it all. 

Rating: TV MA (nothing you wouldn't see on the show) 

Spoilers: Prophecy Girl 

Distribution: Just tell me where it's going. 

Summary: Faith is prophesized to die. Can Xander stop it? Placed in the New Start Universe. 

********** 

I sit at our table in the Bronze watching as Faith dances with yet another guy. It doesn't really bother me as much as it used to, especially after hearing her opinion of the dolts she sees. But it doesn't help much that she'd rather have a meaningless relationship with someone she'll never really care about than one with someone who wants to show her how special she truly is. 

Then again, the one guy she was slightly interested in was Angel and look how that turned out. He's a vampire. One with a soul, but still. Dead's dead. Faith pretty much dropped any interest in him after that. Can't say I was unhappy about that. But she still didn't show even the slightest interest in me, especially after that whole hyena thing. I'm pretty sure she was a bit miffed at me for the 'mating' idea I had at the time, but to hold it against me this entire time? 

I might not have been so bummed about the whole thing if there was someone else that I could date. With the slaying and all that, my choices were pretty limited. There was Faith (not interested), Amy (staying away from anything supernatural at the moment including me), and Buffy. 

Buffy happens to be another problem. It seems she thinks I'm affected by some sort of plague that I didn't know about. Ever since that night she met Darla, she's avoided me. And that's not the only thing that bugs me about her. I can't for the life of me figure out what is up with that presence I feel within her. Both me and Giles have looked through the books on what it might be: possession, she's a demon of some sort, a curse of some kind. All we've found are possiblilities. He's suggested bringing the others in on this, but I've asked him not to since as far as we have been able to determine she isn't evil. We've used spells, spying, and even my senses. 

That's another little side note that I've noticed. After reading up on animal possession, I found that in some cases certain attributes of the animal remain even after the spirit is removed. For some, enhanced senses. In others, their strength and speed are increased a little. Or the person gains physical traits like the animal, like claws and fangs. 

Me, I got the enhanced senses. Including the nice little trait that most animals seem to possess: the ability to detect unnatural presences or people. It's a handy little feature that helps me find vamps. 

I also noticed Angel was a vamp the next time I saw him. Since no one else believed me, I tossed him a cross. That ended any debate real quick. He filled us in on the curse and Willow suggested we keep him on the team. No sense in dropping a source of information was her reasoning. I'm still reserving the right to stake him if he turns on us though. 

Sometime while my mind was wandering the song had ended and Willow and Oz had sat down at the table. 

Willow spoke up. "How come you never try to get out there?" she asked pointing to the dance floor. 

"You do remember what I look like when I get out there, right?" I replied with a look. 

"Well, yeah, but you don't even try during the slow ones." 

"That would mean I had someone worth dancing with and who actually wanted to dance with me." 

Willow looked over at me sadly. "You can't hold out for her forever, you know." 

"It won't be forever. I fully intend to give up before the sun burns out." 

Oz chimes in. "There are other girls. What about Amy?" 

"Yeah, what about her?" 

"She is avoiding the supernatural for the moment which includes me evidently," I said back rolling my eyes. 

"No one else has caught your interest at all?" Willow asked. 

"Nope, I can only handle one obsession at a time," I smiled my trademark grin. 

Wills looked back at the dance floor, and Faith, before asking. "You gonna ask her to the dance?" 

I sighed. "I'll try. She may just avoid the subject like she usually does when I try to ask her about anything personal nowadays. You don't know anything about that, do you, Will?" 

She looked startled for a moment. "Umm, no. Sorry." 

We sat listening to the music for a while longer in silence. Finally, I decided I'd had enough 'fun' for the night. "I think I'll just head home. Maybe check in with Giles on the coupla vamps we staked earlier. Later, guys," I stood and waved to the chorus of "byes" before I headed out the door. 

*** 

It had been getting too uncomfortable in there with Willow giving me those side glances to see if I was really 'alright'. I head out to the nearest graveyard. Nothing like going out to hunt the undead to work off some frustrations. Giles would kill me if he knew I was doing this alone. 

We had already done the 'good-morning' stakings earlier. These are the ones were we sit and wait for a vamp to rise from it's coffin. Most of the time they have been fairly routine. It was usually me, Oz, and Willow who did these while Giles and Faith hunted the others. Giles, Faith, and I had devised this system so we could have a fairly even breakup of strength and skill. I had even started teaching Oz some of my tricks to even the odds with vampires. 

Oz and I had even started designing some better weapons to use: an air powered wrist mounted stake gun, blessed brass knuckles with crosses engraved on them, and a combination stake gun and water gun (not quite finished with it yet). Giles is stubborn though, suggesting that the tried-and-true methods are best but he'll come around eventually. 

Sometimes it was just me and Faith who went out while the others researched. Those nights I truly enjoy because I get to see her in her element. She even opens up a bit more than she usually has of late. Too bad I haven't had a chance lately. 

My thoughts drift back to the world around me when I catch the scent of a vamp nearby. I keep strolling like I haven't noticed anything while I try to get a bearing on him. Behind and to the left about six feet and closing. I raise my left arm to fake looking at my watch while my right grabs a stake from my jacket. 

Quickly, I spun on my left foot low to the ground for a leg sweep. Fangly was caught by surprise and sent crashing down on his back, but he wasn't about to stay there. He rolled away when I went for his heart with my stake. Backpedaling as he stood, he held his hands up in surrender. "Whoa, Xander." 

Finally, I caught sight of his face. "Hey Deadboy. What's the big idea trying to sneak up on me?" 

Angel ignored my question. "Giles needs to talk to you." 

"What for? And can't it wait till tomorrow?" 

"Now," he glared at me. 

"Fine," I sighed, "Let's go grab the others. They're back at the Bronze." 

"Giles said only you." 

Might have something to do with Buffy then, I thought. "Alright. You coming?" 

As we trotted into the night I couldn't help but wonder what was so important that Giles had to talk to me tonight. 

***   



	2. Part 2

  
********** 

"Hey, G-man, what's up?" I call out as Angel and I enter the library. Giles is sitting in his usual position (walled in by a mountain of books with his nose deep in the one in front of him. A curious addition to tonight's group is Ms. Calendar. She recently joined our little club when we had the little problem with a demon possessed computer. 

The demon, Moloch, had gotten released from a book when we started trying to make a back up of the library books by scanning them into the computer. He tried to escape by recruiting a bit of help from some classmates of ours. Eventually, with Ms. Calendar's help we were able to trap him in a robot body that he had made and Faith electrocuted his ass right after. 

Since then she has helped with the computer work and a little bit of creative coverage when we had to go out for some reason or another. With the new principal, Mr. Snyder, hanging around us like a vulture, we'll need all the help we can get in keeping him off our backs. 

"Xander, good we'll need your help in deciphering some texts and you still have a few of the books from Merrick's personal collection. We'll need them if we are to determine what prophecy is supposed to occur the night after tomorrow," Giles said after looking up from his tome. 

"Why not bring the others in on this?" 

"I'll explain better when you get back. Now go and hurry back." 

"Okay," I groaned and turned away, "Come on Deadboy, I can't carry all of those books on my own and still be able to protect myself." 

This earned me a glaring look from Angel as we left. 

*** 

We got to my house and back without any problems, though Angel was still a bit annoyed that I didn't trust him enough to invite him in. I figure he still has a long way to go before I trust him that much. He has to earn it. And in the meantime, I fully intend to annoy him when I can, eventually I might make a good verbal sparring partner out of him. I miss that from LA. No one around here seems to know how to do it right, except Faith and that is a totally different kind of sparrage. 

Once we got back, Giles filled me in on the possiblility that the Master might arise but in the process kill Faith. Tonight we were looking for any way out of this. His reasoning for not bringing the others into this just yet is they would just be in the way since there were only so many places to look for this prophecy and they were covered. He needed me to go over my books and see if there was anything that they hadn't found in them. 

After only an hour of hard researching, an earthquake shook the town. I was under the nearest doorjam in an instant. Californians, I think, are born with this instinct. The quake was over quickly, but it wasn't the quake that bothered me. It was the look that passed between Giles and Angel that truly unnerved me. Something big was coming, and we might not be able to stop it. 

*** 

It was official. 

After looking through every tome, manuscript, and web page, we found everything that we might possibly find on the prophecy. 

The Master would rise tomorrow. 

The Slayer would die. 

And we could do nothing to stop it. 

*** 

"Look, there has to be something that we haven't looked through. Some way we can avoid this," I said frantically. 

"Don't you think I wish there was!" Giles shouted. "We've searched my books, yours, Angel's, and even that cursed web and found nothing. Not one single way of preventing this." 

"Maybe that Codex thing is wrong, and something else happens. Or you translated it wrong." 

Giles sighed and opened the Pergamum Codex to the page showing the prophecy. "Listen. Some prophecies are.. are a bit dodgy. They're.. they're mutable. Faith herself has.. has thwarted them time and time again, but this is the Codex. There is nothing in it that does not come to pass." 

"But there has to be some way..." I tried. 

"I wish to God there was! But it's very plain! Tomorrow night Faith will face the Master, and she will die." 

"WHAT!?!" 

All of us turned to the door of the library to face Willow, Oz, and in front of them, a very pale Faith. 

***   



	3. Part 3

  
********** 

"Faith... I.." Giles stammered out. 

Fatih just continued to stand there motionless, but Willow, who had shouted out, spoke for her, "What do you mean? How do you know?" 

"We have been researching all night..." Giles started. 

"WE?!?! What do you mean we? Why weren't we called in? Why just them?" Willow glared. 

He looked sheepish at this point. "There wouldn't have been anything for you do but worry. Jenny could look up everything we needed on the computer, Angel and I translated many of the texts, and Xander had a few books that were part of his personal collection that we needed him to get. We didn't want to worry you without knowing.. if we were right." 

"How long have you been keeping this quiet?" she continued. 

"The others didn't know until last night, but I had suspicions that something was coming since yesterday." 

"Okay, fine. Now, how do we stop this?" 

"We don't," came the whispered reply. 

"But we've stopped these prophecies before. Why is this any different?" 

Giles sighed and waved them over to the Codex. "This. The Codex. There is nothing in it that has not come to pass. This was where it is written that Faith will face the Master, that she will die, and then he will be free." 

This entire time I watched Faith to gauge her reaction. At first, I could only see shock over her face. Worry quickly replaced it, but was controlled, barely. Anger flashed through her eyes when Will asked how long we had been hiding this from her, and passed when Giles explained. Confidence flowed back across her demeanor when Willow asked how to stop it. Then, when the answer came... nothing. 

Not Fear. 

Not Anger. 

Not Confusion. 

Nothing. 

Her face, her stance, and even her eyes emptied of emotion as she heard Giles explained why we couldn't change what was destined to happen. Her words came as a shock to everyone, me included, when they came out: 

"How?" 

Willow and Giles stopped their arguing to turn to Faith. "Um... What?" Giles asked. 

"How am I supposed to die?" Faith asked stonily. 

"It.. It doesn't say," he said as he moved forward. 

Faith was quiet for a moment as she thought. "Will it hurt?" she asked child-like, as if her most cherished illusion had been shattered. 

By now, Giles had moved close enough to reach out to her. "Faith, I.. I can't possibly know what you are going through..." 

This seemed to snap her back to reality. Faith shruged off his arm. "NO! THIS IS NOT HAPPENING! I FINALLY GET A LIFE LIKE I WANTED AND NOW YOU TELL ME I'M GOING TO DIE! NO WAY!" 

"Faith, I know this is hard..." Angel started 

She glared at him making him shrink back. "What the hell would you know about it, Deadboy? You're not dying anytime soon." 

"Faith, please we.. we have been looking..." Giles stammered. 

"Lotta good that did," she snorted and continued with glistening eyes. "No, this isn't.. I can't do this. Not after I found something I never had before..." 

"Faith, can I talk to you alone?" I said. 

She looked at me surprised for a moment before nodding. I asked Giles for his keys to unlock the school doors then I guided her to the back entrance to the library. Faith looked at me confused as I led her out and along the side of the building well past hearing distance, even Angel's, before stopping to turn to her. 

I took in her appearance once more. Her face showed her fear and pain, but underneath was trust in us that right now was wavering. I sighed as I started. "Faith, when I heard what the prophecy really was, I was like 'no big', been there done that, right? After a while, though, I started to realize that nothing in those books or the computer or anything else was going to just say 'here's the answer'. And I panicked. Big time. I couldn't really handle the fact that we would lose you..." 

"This isn't a comforting speech, Xand," Faith remarked bitterly and looked away. 

I continued as if she hadn't spoken. "But sometime during that little conversation back there I realized a few things. One, Giles doesn't know everything. Neither do Angel or Ms. Calendar." 

"Still not helping." 

"Two, prohecies are written by people, for the most part. And people make mistakes, whether it was how it was written to how they interpret what they saw." 

"But remember Giles said..." she started, but I could see the spark of hope in her eyes. 

I interupted her again. "Three, your destiny isn't set in stone, no matter what some stupid book says. I realized that the day I first decided to start fighting vampires. There may be something that pushes you in a certain direction, but in the end it will be up to you." I smirked as I said, "You were also forgetting Point Number One." 

The beginnings of a smile appeared on her beautiful face. "Anything else?" 

"And Four," I smiled, "you have us to help you. We'll back you up whenever you need it. You know I'm always ready to back you up." I paused as I reached for her shoulder. "I won't let this beat us, got it?" 

I stared directly into brown eyes trying to show her how much I meant what I said. She looked into my eyes, and when her face broke out into that devil-may-care grin that I love, I knew she understood. 

"Thank you," Faith replied as she held back unshed tears. And then, surprisingly, leapt forward giving me a bone crushing hug, literally. 

"No prob," I wheezed. "Not to be rude, but can I breathe now?" 

She released me, hesitantly it seemed. "Sorry, didn't think you'd ever want me to let you go," she smirked. 

"Never said you had to," I grinned. "But since I kinda like the whole breathing thing, I figured I should ask you to ease up. I fully intend to be around for your hugging pleasure." 

"More like your pleasure," she retorted. 

"I'm not denying that. What do you say? Do we head back inside, and see what we really can do about this thing?" 

Faith looked over at me for a moment and then said, "Why not?" 

As we headed back inside, I silently prayed to whoever might be listening that they might help us get through this. Please, I thought, help us keep her safe and alive. 

***   
  



	4. Part 4

  
********** 

When we came back into the library, Faith immediately took over. "Giles, we need to know what else has to occur for the Master to rise. And we need to get a backup plan ready in case he does. Willow, Oz, Ms. Calendar, you three hit the computers and any books that we haven't covered yet. Angel, I need you to go over your sources and find anything that we might miss: how many the Master has with him, whether anyone else will come to play, etc. Xander, you and I are training today." 

"I'll get passes for all of you from class," Giles said as he headed to his office. 

Angel left the library, while Wills, Oz, and Ms. Calendar headed to the computer lab. That left just me and Faith to set up the training area. We moved quickly, with her setting out the mats and me putting on the pads. By the time we were done, Giles was just coming out of his office with the permission slips in hand. He looked over at Faith for a moment before speaking. 

"Faith, I.. we'll do everything we can to stop this." 

She gave him one of her characteristic grins. "Thanks G-man. And don't worry so much. I have it on good authority that we'll come out of this on top," she said tossing a glance back at me. 

I grinned back at her all the while thinking I had to find some way to get her out of this. I wasn't going to go through what happened in LA ever again. 

*** 

While the rest of the group researched throughout the day, I spent most of the time getting pummelled. By the end of the session, I was silently thanking whoever came up with these lovely foam pads. Gotta appreciate anything that helps keep my limbs and ribs in one piece. 

After we were done with the sparrage, we decided to check with everyone else for an update. Angel had gotten back from his scouting by this time. The information that they had wasn't pleasant. The earthquake announcing the start of the prophecy had already occurred, but there was also some sort of massacre that is supposed to happen too. 

I brought up the idea that if we stopped that maybe the Master couldn't get out. No good. No one had a clue as to where it needed to happen or who needed to die for this part to come true. 

We started a backup plan to defend the Hellmouth, since if the Master rose, this would be the first place he would go. Everyone but me, Faith, and Angel would stay at the library to defend it. We, on the other hand, would head straight to the Master to try to beat him there. Faith seemed a bit nervous about this part, but I figured she would with how this was supposed to turn out. I gave her a small smile to show she wouldn't do this alone. 

Faith took back over at this point saying that everyone was tired and should head home to get some rest. Everyone agreed since it was just after school got out and we had a few hours before dark. Faith, Angel, and I decided to meet back up at the library shortly after dark so Deadboy could meet us there without problems and we could all head out to face the Master. Giles insisted on staying in the library to prepare the weapons the others would need for tonight. I left for home along with the others for some much needed sleep. 

The walk home was, thankfully, short. As usual, Mom wasn't home, so I tossed together a quick sandwich and headed up to bed. I had finished my snack by the time I had reached my room, so I set my alarm, tossed off my clothes, and climbed into bed. Three hours would have to do for rest. If I have learned anything from fighting vampires in all this time, it would be to grab rest and food when you can. You never know how long it might be till the next time. 

I hoped the others were actually able to get some rest, was my final thought as oblivion claimed me. 

*** 

A loud scream penetrated my head making me shoot out of bed. As my mind started to wake up, the scream slowly changed to the annoying blare of my alarm. Shutting it off I started to change into my 'hunting clothes'. This consisted of my ever present Leather jacket, a loose pair of jeans, and a black T-shirt. Grabbing my chest from the closet, I began pulling out various weapons for tonight. 

Several cross stakes. 

My calf sheath regular stakes. 

A wrist stake launcher with extra stakes. 

One of my holy water guns. 

My daggar for any demons I might come across. 

And a box that I kept at the bottom of the chest. 

Inside, I pulled out a gun that I had gotten from Uncle Rory a few years back. I hoped I wouldn't ever have to pull this out again, but I needed the edge. So I loaded it, and put it (and a few extra rounds) in my outside jacket pocket. 

Lastly, I grabbed the cross that SHE had given me before facing Lothos. With all my gear gathered, I ran out of the house towards the school. 

*** 

Coming through the library doors I did not expect to find what I did. Giles out cold on the floor with Deadboy crouched over him. So I did what I've wanted to do ever since I met him, I kicked him as hard as possible in the head. 

Needless to say, he was somewhat surprised to find himself propelled away from Giles. But he reacted quickly, clambering up into a fighting stance and growling in his game face at me. His growl faded as did his game face when he realized who I was. 

"Xander, what..." 

"I knew we couldn't trust you. How long have you been waiting to betray us?" I asked him. 

"I didn't do anything. I just got here and found him like that. If you don't take my word for it, wake him up and ask him," he said pointing at Giles' unconcious form. 

"Fine. Stay there and don't even twitch," I said as I moved over to the librarian. 

I shook him getting no response. I then smacked his face reviving him. "OWW! Xander! What.. Where is Faith?" he asked looking around the room. 

"Faith was here? What happened? Did Angel..." 

"Yes, Faith was here! She was the one who cold cocked me!" 

I looked at him confused. "Why did she..." 

"She believes she has a better chance alone," Giles sighed. "I think Faith wants to keep all of us out of this as much as possible. After all, if she can't kill the Master how are we supposed to stop him." 

Damn it! I don't know the way to the Master's church, so how.... "Angel! You have to show me the way to get down to the church!" 

"Why should I help you?" he asked rubbing his jaw. "You obviously don't trust me to truly help you." 

I walked up to him, grabbed his arm, and pulled him into the stacks. "Angel, let's get one thing straight: I don't like you. But I am not going to let that get in the way of keeping Faith safe, are you? Or are you the bloodthirsty, untrustworthy bastard I think you are?" 

"You love her, don't you?" 

The question stunned me for a moment. "I think so, but that's not the point. Are you going to help me save her life or am I going solo?" 

"I'll show you the way." 

***   



	5. Part 5

  
********** 

We left Giles back at the library and told him to get in touch with the others. He needed to make sure they got there soon to protect the Hellmouth. As we headed deeper into the catacombs and tunnels below the city, I prayed that we could get there in time to save Faith. 

The entire underground seemed deserted as we made our way deeper into the tunnels. I wondered where everyone had gone. The Master had to have some servants around here somewhere, unless... 

...unless he had already risen and no longer needed them to be here. 

"Faster," I said. 

"We're almost there," he called back. And we were. Turning past the next corner there it was. The Church. 

And there was Faith, lying face down on the cavern floor. 

I quickly charged forward not caring if it was a trap. Kneeling down at her side, I found bite marks on the side of her neck and could smell the scent of her blood from the wound. I saw how pale she was when I touched her cold skin. And I could hear the quiet beat of her heart and shallow breaths. 

She was ALIVE! 

But not for long; I could tell she was dying. Her slayer healing was the only thing keeping her alive right now, and even that couldn't hold her here for much longer. Faith needed to get to a hospital and fast. 

"Angel, give me your jacket. We need to wrap her up and get her out of here." 

He looked at me quizzically for a moment before wrapping her up and picking her up. Together, we ran through the tunnels towards the nearest hospital with Angel telling me which way to go. 

*** 

It took us less than five minutes running to get to Sunnydale Memorial Hospital. As soon as we exited the sewers, I looked over at Angel while still running. 

"Once the hospital is in sight, I need you to make sure they take care of Faith. I'll head back to the school to help the others," I told him. 

"You can't do much good there. I'll go," he shot back. 

I glared at him. "No! I need you to make sure Faith is safe. I have a couple plans to take out the Master. I would have filled you both in on them when we met at the library, but now I don't have time. Just make sure that no matter what else happens, that you keep Faith safe. Got it?" 

I heard a grudging "Fine" before the hospital sprung into view around the next corner. 

"Keep going. I'll bring the others when I can," I shouted out before veering off in the direction of some cars parked along the street. I ran up to a fairly new Accord, brought my knife out, and smashed the window in with the butt of the knife. I quickly unlocked the door and settled into the front seat. 

A couple of crossed wires later, I was on my way back to the school. It's sometimes a good thing to have a thief as an old friend. Max always was good at this sort of thing. Too bad I can only bring myself to use these particular tricks when it's slaying related. I would have made a pretty good thief if I ever really tried according to Max. 

As I got closer to the school, I noticed the sudden surge of pedestrian traffic. 

Undead pedestrian traffic. 

Best thing to do in this senario? 

Yep, that was just what I was thinking: Gun it. 

I slammed through the vamps, scattering them to the side on my way back to the school. When the school came into view, I spotted that someone else had already had the same idea. Right in the front doors no less. Sitting halfway into the school was a car that someone had the bright idea to try to take into the SHS hallways and block my path. 

I veered to the side of the school where a fire escape that led up the side of the building was at. The hoard of vamps did their best to follow, but I was able to give myself enough room to climb out and onto the ladder of the fire escape. One tried to climb after me but a quick spray from my water gun sent him tumbling back down. Spraying the rest of the water onto the ladder discouraged any pursuit. 

Quietly and quickly, I made my way over to the skylight over the library to see how the others were doing. I heard signs of a fight coming from within the school and a tremendous roar as I neared the library window. I stopped short when I spotted what had to be the Master and two of his goons. He was the ugliest vamp I had ever seen with ridges running all over his face and blood stained lips. 

Faith's blood. 

I felt a growl rising from deep within my chest as I grabbed two stakes from my calf sheaths and charged. My growl startled his guards so they weren't prepared as I launched first one and then the other stake into their hearts. 

The Master was quick, I'll give him that. When I lifted my left arm to fire off a stake from my wrist launcher, he dodged to the side letting the air propelled stake pass by harmlessly. 

He grinned at me. "You must be the one that my children keep telling me of. The warrior worthy of our gift." 

We circled each other as I drew out a cross stake to help hold him back so I could get another shot off with the launcher. I growled out. "Not likely. Besides, even if I did decide to join the other team, I wouldn't choose a guy who wore lipstick. Heck, you can't even put it on right," I finished with a smirk. 

His grin faded. "Why is it no one these days shows the proper respect for their elders." 

"Respect is earned, you damned raisin," I said as I charged with my stake leading. 

He knocked the stake out of my hand earning a burn, while I aimed my stakegun at his heart. The Master's right hand clamping down on my arm stopped that move cold. I tried to get off a shot anyways, but he jerked my arm off to the side and clamped the other hand around my neck. 

"Have I earned your respect yet, boy?" he sneered. 

"Nah, but if you really want to you could try to stay awake for the entire JFK movie. Anyone who can do that should have everyone's respect," I wheezed out. 

He growled and tightened his grip on both my arm and my neck. Stars exploded across my vision as my throat constricted. My right arm that had been hanging limp, snuck into my jacket pocket to pull out the gun. 

His grip loosened around my neck to let me breath again. "Despite your irritating qualities I will give you one last chance to join me. It is better to be with the winning side is it not?" 

"Couldn't agree more," I choked out and shoved the barrel into the waist of his pants. 

His eyes widened then he looked down to see the gun. Looking up, the Master began to laugh wildly. "You should know better than that. Vampires can't be harmed by bullets you fool!" 

I looked down at my gun then back up at him as a wide grin spread across my face and I said, "You know, you're right." 

And pulled the trigger. 

Shock spread over his face as the flare began to burn through his body. 

"Hope you enjoy the welcome home party in Hell!" I cried out spinning him around to face the skylight. "And be sure to give my regards to Lothos!" I shoved him back sending him screaming through the glass, disintegrating on the way down leaving his bones to scatter over the floor. 

Walking over to the broken window, I looked within to see the shocked faces of Giles, Willow, Ms. Calendar, and surprisingly, Buffy. Oz only looked up with a slightly risen brow. He's a regular Vulcan boy alright. 

"Everyone ok?" I called down. 

"Um.. yes.. yes we are all fine," Giles stuttered out before glancing over at the bones strewn over the floor. "How.. how did you defeat..." 

I waved his question away. "Later. Faith is in the hospital. We need to get over there fast." 

"Faith.. She is... alive," he looked up questioningly. 

"I hope so," was my only answer. 

*** 

We gathered everyone into Oz's van and headed over to the hospital to see if Faith had made it. Entering the ER, I saw a surprised Angel get up from his chair in the waiting room. 

Angel started to ask but I beat him to it. "How is she? Did they tell you anything yet?" I questioned. 

"No, nothing yet. The doctors have been in there the entire time. What happened to you guys?" he looked me over questioningly stopping at my neck. 

"Master's dead. Hellmouth closed. End of story," I stated. 

"You need to get that looked at," he said pointing at my neck. 

"I'll be fine. I've had worse." Boy have I had worse. 

"What? Are you alright, Xander?" Willow asked. She turned me around and gasped at what I guessed was my rapidly purpling neck. 

Giles turned me to him and looked wide eyed at my neck. "Xander, dear god. Why didn't you say anything?" 

I shrugged. "No point. You couldn't do anything for it and it was more important we get to see Faith." 

"But..." 

Angel interupted him. "The doctors are coming out," he said pointing to the two doctors coming out of the ER. I quickly zipped up my jacket to hide my neck earning a glare from Willow and Giles. 

"She's going to be fine. It was touch and go for a while there, but she is stable and will make a full recovery," the head doctor told us after coming over. 

"Thank God.""Yes""Thank you""Wonderful" our voices cried out. 

"Now she asked for you all, but you can't stay too long. You'll be able to see her again tomorrow during visiting hours." 

He lead us to the room that Faith was recovering in. Her smile at seeing us was enough to make me forget all my aches and pains. We waited for the doctor to leave before we spoke. 

"So, what happened? Did the Master get out? How did we do?" Faith asked. 

"The Master's dead. The Hellmouth closed. The vamps went home. That's pretty much it," I told her. 

"Who killed the Master?" A chorus of "he did" and pointing fingers answered her. I shrugged at the surprised look from Faith. 

"But how..." 

"I used the thing that I was going to give to you to use." 

"What?" 

I pulled the gun out of my pocket. "This. A flare shot into his pants did the trick," I smirked. Everyone burst out laughing at the image of the Master trying to put out a flare in his shorts. 

A nurse chose now to come in to tell us our time was up. As we filed out still grinning, I told Faith we'd be back tomorrow to fill her in on the rest. 

Oz offered everyone a ride home, but Giles insisted he needed to get back to the library to dispose of the Master's bones. Ms. Calendar said she'd help him while both Angel and I declined the ride. They left leaving me and Angel behind. 

"So, you mind providing me an escort home?" I asked. 

He glanced over at me surprised. "I would have thought you'd take the first opportunity to get away from me." 

"Yeah, well I figured I could give you another chance since you helped me save Faith and all. And there is the fact that I can't really protect myself," I said tiredly as we walked out into the night. "Besides, I can't really ask them for help in getting rid of a stolen car, can I?" I smirked over at him. 

Angel's quiet chuckle was my only answer. 

********** 

The end. 

*** 

I had to do it this way since I've always been aggravated by the fact that the Master drained Buffy as well as drowning her. So even if Xander had revived her, she would be too weak from the blood loss to do anything. Thus in my AU Xander is the one stuck facing the Master. 

Next up,   
Troubled Past   



End file.
